BEFORE YOU START YOURSELF ON HIGH DOSES, ESPECIALLY. Ruth: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Steve: A BIG DECISION TO BE MADE TONIGHT BY WALLED LAKE'S SCHOOL BOARD AND INVOLVES THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE BUS DRIVERS. OPPOSITION ALREADY MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD. CHAUNCY GLOVER IS LIVE IN WALLED LAKE WHERE A GOOD SIZE PROTEST IS UNDER WAY. CHAUNCY? Chauncy: YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. THEY'RE MAKING THEIR MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. LOOK AT SOME OF THE MESSAGES ON THE SIGNS. OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT FOR SALE. LOOK AT THIS ONE THAT SAYS, WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN AND LOVE DRIVING OUR CHILDREN ON THE BUSES. THE BIG DEAL HERE IS THE DISTRICT WANTS THE BUS DRIVERS TO TAKE A $1.4 MILLION CUT. THEY NEED TO SAVE THAT WITH THE PRIVATIZATION. THEY'VE BEEN BARGAINING SINCE AUGUST AND STARTED BARGAINING THIS MORNING. BUT STILL, NO DEAL. WE ARE NOT IGNORANT PEOPLE BECAUSE WE DRIVE BUSES. Chauncy: THE BATTLE OVER THE BUSES IS HEATING UP. WE ARE PROUD, DEDICATED EMPLOYEES TO THIS DISTRICT AND WE DESERVE THE RIGHT TO KEEP OUR JOBS. Chauncy: THEY'RE PROPOSING OUTSOURCING TO SAVE MONEY. WE HAVE A $10 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. THIS WOULD SAVE US $1.4 MILLION A YEAR EACH YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. WE LOVE OUR DRIVERS, THEY'RE OUTSTANDING. IT'S NOT PERSONAL. Chauncy: BUT BUS DRIVERS WOULD BE LAID OFF. THEIR ARGUMENT, THEY'VE ALREADY GIVEN UP A LOT. THREE YEARS AGO, MY MEMBERS TOOK $5 MILLION IN CUTS TO FIGHT OFF A PRIVATE COMPANY AT THAT POINT IN TIME. THEY TOOK A 10% PAY CUT. THEY PAID 20% TOWARD HEALTH BENEFITS. Chauncy: THEY'RE QUESTIONING IF PRIVATIZING WOULD SAVE THE DISTRICT CASH. THE TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT SAYS THE NUMBERS JUST DON'T ADD UP. LET ME SAY THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THERE'S NO SAVINGS. WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY. PUT YOUR NUMBERS UP THERE AND PUT OUR NUMBERS UP THERE. WE'LL EXPLAIN OUR NUMBERS. YOU EXPLAIN YOURS. WE'LL SAVE A LITTLE OVER $1.4 MILLION A YEAR FOR EACH OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS. Chauncy: THIS IS HOW THINGS WILL GO. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PRESENTED THE PROPOSAL TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. TONIGHT, THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL VOTE YES OR NO. AND THAT MEETING IS SET TO HAPPEN AT 7:30. OF COURSE, WE'LL BRING YOU THE OUTCOME OF THE MEETING TONIGHT ON LOCAL 4 AT 11:00. FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE THIS EVENING IN WALLED LAKE, I'M CHAUNCY GLOVER. LOCAL 4. Steve: IS THERE ANY HINT WHICH WAY THE BOARD IS LEANING ON THIS VOTE TONIGHT? Chauncy: I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH TWO SOURCES, BOTH OF THEM TELLING ME IT LOOKS LIKE THE DISTRICT WILL HAVE THEIR WAY WITH THE DECISION. BUT THE BUS DRIVERS WILL NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT AND PLAN TO TAKE THIS PROTEST INSIDE OF THE MEETING.

WALLED LAKE, Mich. -

The battle over the buses is heating up in Walled Lake.

The Walled Lake Consolidated School District is proposing outsourcing its school buses in hopes to save money.

"Here's the issue: We have a $10 million budget deficit. This would save us $1.4 million a year each year over the next three years. We love our drivers. They're outstanding. It's not personal," said Kenneth Gutman, superintendent.

However, bus drivers would be laid off. They argue that they have already given up a lot.

"Three years ago my members took $5 million in cuts to fight off a private company at that point in time," said Ann Ridge, president of the Walled Lake Transportation Association. "They took a 10 percent pay cut. They pay 20 percent toward their health benefits."

Workers also are questioning if privatising would actually save the district some cash. Ridge said the numbers just don't add up.

"Let me say that over, and over, and over again: There is no savings. We welcome the opportunity. Put your numbers up there. Put ours up there. We'll explain our numbers, you explain yours," said Ridge.

Gutman said the numbers are documented and it's obvious the district will save.

"We will save $1.4 ... a little over $1.4 million a year for each of the next three years," he said.

The district is holding a meeting Thursday night to discuss how to move forward and vote.

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